Apple just released iTunes 11.0.3 with several new features including enhancements to the MiniPlayer, an improved Songs View, and multi-disc albums.

Apple’s new MiniPlayer, which it first introduced in iTunes 11, today gets a new “beautiful view that showcases your album artwork” as well as a progress bar viewable rights from the MiniPlayer.

Other improvements to iTunes in version 11.0.3 include the ability to view multi-disc albums as a single album and “performance improvements when searching and sorting large iTunes libraries.”

The update is available through Software Update now.

This post was written by Jordan Kahn from 9to5Mac.
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Apple has today announced the winner of its $10,000 App Store gift card after the App Store surpassed 50 billion downloads on Wednesday. The lucky customer is Brandon Ashmore of Mentor, Ohio, who downloaded Say the Same Thing, a word game from Space Inch.

“Apple would like to thank our incredible customers and developers for topping 50 billion apps downloaded,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services.

“The App Store completely transformed how people use their mobile devices and created a thriving app ecosystem that has paid out over nine billion dollars to developers. We’re absolutely floored to cross this milestone in less than five years.”

Since it opened with just 500 apps in July 2008, the App Store has seen more than 850,000 titles added to its catalog, 350,000 of which are native iPad apps. The App Store is now available in 155 countries around the world, and a whopping 800 apps are downloaded every single second — that’s 2 billion downloads a month.

Apple began its countdown to 50 billion downloads on May 2. The Cupertino company held a similar $10,000 gift card giveaway for 25 billion song downloads from the iTunes Music Store back in February.

Source: Apple

This post was written by Killian Bell from Cult of Mac.
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Apple just announced that the App Store just hit its 50 billionth app download ever. To celebrate the event, Apple said it would give a $10,000 App Store Gift Card to the person who downloads the 50 billionth app. Apple’s also giving $500 App Store Gift Cards to the next 50 people to download an app after the 50 billion mark.

Download contests have been held by Apple in the past the celebrate the App Store’s popularity. In 2011, Gail Davis downloaded the 10 billionth app on the App Store and received a $10,000 iTunes gift card. Last year’s winner was Fu Chunli from Qindao, China. She also received a $10,000 iTunes gift card, but was flown to Apple’s Chinese HQ in Beijing to accept the award.

Apple hasn’t announced the winners of the App Store contest yet, but we expect Apple will make an official announcement within the next few days.No word yet from Apple on who the winner is, but we’re sure to hear about it soon.

Source: Apple

This post was written by Buster Heine from Cult of Mac.
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In just over a year since its 25 billion milestone, Apple’s App Store has just crossed the threshold of 50 billion downloads. As a reminder, the App Store launched just shy of five years ago, on July 10, 2008. The App Store has celebrated three major milestones since its launch, the first for the 10 billionth download in January of 2011, followed by 25 billion just a little over a year later.

In a press release this January, Apple noted that over 40 billion apps had been downloaded, meaning that one-fifth of all downloads from the App Store have already come in 2013. It remains quite remarkable that five years after launch, the App Store is still seeing such accelerated growth.

To celebrate 50 billion downloads, Apple is giving away a $10,000 App Store gift card to the lucky person who downloads the 50 billionth app, with 50 runner ups receiving a $500 card. Apple typically reveals who the winner is within a few days after the contest ending.

As a reminder, the 25 billionth app was downloaded by Chunli Fu of Qingdao, China, who was flown out to Apple’s Beijing headquarters to receive her card. The 10 billionth app, however, was downloaded by Gail Davis of Orpington, Kent, UK, who was contacted by Eddy Cue, an Apple SVP.

Amazing coincidence!? Apple to magically hit 50B App downloads RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF GOOGLE I/O?! apple.com/itunes/50-bill…—
Seth Weintraub (@llsethj) May 15, 2013

We just hit 50 billion app downloads. Thank you. It couldn't have happened without you. #50BillionApps tw.appstore.com/hgE—
App Store (@AppStore) May 15, 2013

This post was written by Michael Steeber from 9to5Mac.
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If you’re a Daft Punk fan who can’t wait to hear the random access beats of their latest album, Random Access Memories, it’s now streamingfree and live on iTunes here on a computer or iPad. You can also preorder the entire album for $11.99.

I’ve got to say, between this and David Bowie’s latest album, I’m liking this streaming trend Apple’s started.

Source: iTunes

This post was written by John Brownlee from Cult of Mac.
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